"American Idol" judge and mentor Randy Jackson announced he will not be returning to Season 14 of the singing competition in January.

One of the last originals to depart from the show, Jackson was a judge in the original seasons and last year served in a mentoring role.

"After 13 seasons I felt now was the perfect time to leave 'American Idol,'" Jackson said in a statement issued Tuesday through his publicist. "I'm proud to have been a part of a series that discovered some incredible artists and will go down in history as one of the most successful television shows ever. A true original, 'Idol' started it all. Onto what's next."

With Jackson leaving the show, the only on-camera talent remaining from the premiere of Fox's "American Idol" will be host Ryan Seacrest.

Jackson was one of the three original judges, alongside producer Simon Cowell and singer Paula Abdul, back in 2002 when the reality singing show debuted. The veteran musician and his fellow hosts became a top hit on TV and produced popular recording artists like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. His frequent reference to contestants as "Dawg" quickly became a signature of his style.

Several iterations of judges came and went after Cowell and Abdul left the show in 2009 and 2010, respectively, which included Ellen Degeneres, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Kara DioGuardi.

Jackson stayed on as until he announced in May 2013 (as ratings were declining) that he would not be returning for Season 13 as a judge. Instead took part in a mentoring spot.

"Randy has been such an integral part of 'American Idol' since day one, both as a judge and as a mentor," Fox and the show's producers responded to the news. "He's provided great advice and support, shaping the success of so many Idols we have discovered over the years. We wish him all the best in his next chapter. Randy will always be part of our 'Idol' family and we hope he'll visit from time to time."

Season 14 of "American Idol" will begin airing early next year with judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. returning.

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